Reader questions commissioners’ pay raises

I know I am a slow learner. I did not realize that when you are a county commissioner the first thing you do after the election is to vote for a pay raise. I recall that after the 2008 election I believe they voted for a 6 percent increase, but since some of Sherburne County citizens became a little bit irate about it they decided that maybe they should lower the rate. Now that there has been another election they believe they deserve a 2 percent increase in pay. It appears to me that the call to serve the citizens of Sherburne County has turned into let’s fill our pockets.

In one of the papers I read, there was a picture of all the commissioners and it looked to me like most of them have been retired for several years. When I hear companies are laying off employees, I just cannot understand why you think you are entitled to a 2 percent increase in pay. What other jobs are out there where employees can vote for a raise for themselves? There are employees out there whose pay has been cut and also hours have been cut. If you do not have a job, or do not have enough hours to qualify for health insurance, what do you do?

In this day and age there are not employers waiting at the doors of our colleges with jobs for the graduates. I believe we have to think about our young people a little more; they are our future. Do you know what the average college loan is?

I am an election judge. When I began serving we had our lunch brought in. That was discontinued many years ago. I can’t remember when we had an increase in pay, but checked it out and it was in 2006. Our job is more important now than it was 20 years ago.

I really believe we should have an ID card because I have encountered more places where you have to produce a picture ID and sometimes another form of ID. Our population has increased so there is no longer one poling place for each ward. Ward 3 is very interesting. Check the city map for the borderlines. Sherburne County has an excellent training session for the judges. We all are interested in seeing that all of you get in and out as quickly as possible. Showing a picture ID with your name hastens the amount of time spent at the polls.

Commissioners, please take time to think how the rest of us are affected by your decisions. — Lola Driessen, Elk River